Wayfinding Through Orientation

State-of-the art navigation systems still adhere to the principles of turn-by-turn navigation (left). Wayfinding Through Orientation supports the acquisition of spatial knowledge and cognitive mapping for advancing the user's orientation (right). "Turn right after 180 meters. Follow the course of the road for six kilometers. Keep left." These kinds of navigation instructions direct us successfully to our destination. However, many users of today's navigation systems feel disoriented, having no sense of direction, and blindly trusting the instructions. "It is no surprise", says Angela Schwering (Institute for Geoinformatics, Münster University).